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Primary purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of two different nevirapine (Viramune) dosing regimens (once daily (QD) and twice daily (BID) application) and of atazanavir/ritonavir (Reyataz/Norvir), all on an emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (DF) (Truvada) background. Patients will receive either nevirapine (NVP) 200 mg twice daily, or NVP 400 mg once daily , or ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (ATZ/r), all in combination with emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir DF (TDF).

All patients receiving NVP will start at 200 mg once daily for 2 weeks, because it has been demonstrated that this lead-in dosing regimen reduces the frequency of NVP-induced rash. At Visit 3 (Week 2), patients increase the NVP dose to either 200 mg twice daily or to 400 mg once daily. Patients receiving ATZ/r will be treated with ATZ 300 mg once daily, boosted by 100 mg ritonavir (RTV) once daily. Background antiretroviral therapy for all patients consists of one tablet of Truvada. Treatment duration is 48 weeks (primary endpoint) with an extension to 144 weeks. Patients may also participate in the metabolic sub-study, comparing NVP and ATZ/r for signs and symptoms of lipodystrophy and serum lipid/glycaemic abnormalities.

Treatment response is defined as a viral load (VL) <50 copies/mL measured at two consecutive visits prior to Week 48 and without subsequent rebound or change of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy prior to Week 48.

Treatment response is defined as a VL <50 copies/mL measured at two consecutive visits up to Week 48 and without subsequent rebound or change of ARV therapy up to Week 48, based on time to loss of virologic response (TLOVR) algorithm, as a sensitivity analysis for the primary analysis.

Change in CD4+ cell count from baseline among patients on treatment at each visit, with the final visit at Week 144 or EOT

Change in Framingham Score From Baseline [ Time Frame: From baseline to Weeks 48, 96 and 144/EOT ]

Change in the estimated risk of cardiovascular disease using the Framingham algorithm from baseline to after 48, 96 and 144 weeks, last observation carried forward (LOCF). The score is based on age, gender, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and smoking status. Scores range from 0 to 21 with higher scores indicating a greater risk.

Quality of life (QoL) assessment by change in MHS score from baseline to after 48, 96 and 144 weeks (observed cases), from the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV), a 35-item self-administered questionnaire including 10 scales covering: health perceptions, pain, physical functioning, role functioning, social and cognitive functioning, mental health, energy/fatigue, health distress, and QoL. The MHS is a weighted average of the 10 scales and ranges from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating better QoL.

QoL assessment by change in PHS score from baseline to after 48, 96 and 144 weeks (observed cases), from the MOS-HIV, a 35-item self-administered questionnaire including 10 scales covering: health perceptions, pain, physical functioning, role functioning, social and cognitive functioning, mental health, energy/fatigue, health distress, and QoL. The PHS is a weighted average of the 10 scales and ranges from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating better QoL.

Number of Patients Hospitalized [ Time Frame: From baseline to Week 24, Week 24 to 48, Week 48 to 96, and Week 96 to 144/EOT ]

Number of treatment-emergent drug-associated substitutions in patients with virological failure up to Week 48. The total number of genotypic mutations in those patients who were virologic failures is given, not the number of patients with mutations.

Treatment response is defined as a viral load (VL) <50 copies/mL measured at two consecutive visits prior to Week 96 and without subsequent rebound or change of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy prior to Week 96.

Treatment response is defined as a viral load (VL) <50 copies/mL measured at two consecutive visits prior to Week 144 and without subsequent rebound or change of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy prior to Week 144.

Time to treatment response was defined as the time from start of treatment until the first measurement of the first confirmed virological response

Time to Loss of Virologic Response (Rebound) [ Time Frame: Baseline to week 144 ]

Time to loss of virologic response (TLOVR) was defined as the time from start of treatment to the first measurement showing VL ≥ 50 copies/mL in the first virologic rebound, after having a confirmed virological response.

Time to Treatment Failure [ Time Frame: baseline to week 144 ]

Treatment failure is defined as the occurrence of the first of at least one of the following events: early discontinuation of trial drug, change in ARV therapy, failure to achieve an HIV RNA count < 50 copies/mL up to Visit 10 (week 48) or loss of virologic response

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Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

Inclusion Criteria:

Signed informed consent in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and local regulatory requirements prior to trial participation

HIV-1-infected males or females >= 18 years of age with positive serology confirmed by Western blot